Title: Their Belated Honeymoon
Couple: Callie/Arizona
Rating: NC-17
Summary: It is a look back through Callie and Arizona's relationship and their honeymoon which takes place twelve months after their actual wedding. Hopefully it will fill in the gaps for some missing scenes but it is not completely based on the show, as you will see.
Disclaimer: I wish I could claim that I own Grey's Anatomy or the characters but the simply fact is that I don't, I own nothing.
Since Sofia was born an alarm clock was deemed unnecessary for both Callie and Arizona for they now had a daughter that would wake up at 5.30am on the dot, every morning. And, like every other morning, Sofia was oblivious to the fact that they were on holidays waking, and making herself known to her mum's right on time. Callie rolled over slowly trying to coax her eyes to open in the dim sunlight that escaped through the gaps in the blinds, reaching for the baby monitor that sounded the soft murmurs of Sofia. Arizona, however, knowing that it was her day to retrieve Sofia from the room she was staying in, quickly jolted up in the bed grabbing the baby monitor before Callie could.
"I'll get her, you sleep some more," Arizona encouraged. Padding slowly toward the second bedroom of the loft they were staying in. A soon as she saw Sofia, Arizona could not help the bright and dimpled smile that spread across her face, despite the early hour of the morning. She grabbed Sofia from her crib and cuddled her in her arms.
"Good morning sweetheart" she started, "Now how did you sleep last night? Good I think because you did not make a peep. Now shall we go and see Mama?"
"Mama!" Sofia squealed, it being one of the few words she in fact knew. Arizona giggled at Sofia's response as she continued toward the bedroom she was sharing with Callie. As soon as she saw her slumbering Mama Sofia bought her noise levels down to a whisper and, once out of Arizona's arms and on the bed, she carefully cuddled into Callie. Arizona stood and watched from the middle of the room for a moment before herself climbing into bed with her girls, snuggling up against her daughter, who was now squished between herself and Callie.
Clearly exhausted from all the travel of the previous day, Sofia fell back to sleep with unbelievable speed as Arizona stroked her dark brown curls. She could not help but think back to the night that both Sofia and Callie returned from the hospital after the car accident.
15 months ago
During Callie's recovery Bailey had insisted on many occasions that Arizona in fact return to their apartment across the street to get some rest, rather than relying on the on-call rooms or the lounge in Callie's room to sleep. Each time she was barred from the hospital for 10 hours, which was meant to be allocated for sleep, but Arizona would return to their apartment and work on the nursery for young Sofia. Unable to sleep in their bed without Callie had meant that the nursery, along with the painting of the walls a nice shade of beige was long completed before Callie was told to go home. Before leaving for work, after again being barred for 10 hours, Arizona stood at the door of their apartment and took in the sight of what she had created, having no knowledge that she would in fact be able to share it with Callie tonight. "Well Arizona," she began to herself, "if surgery was not going to be your thing you most definitely could have been an interior designer". Chuckling softly she closed the door behind her and headed for the hospital hoping to grab some time with Callie before her shift.
Heading straight up to Callie's room, Arizona was almost sure she would not find her there but, rather, would find her in the NICU. And sure as the Pope is Catholic, Callie was in the NICU.
"Good morning baby" Arizona gleamed before giving Callie a chaste kiss on the lips before giving her the once over with her eyes, "you are looking good this morning, balancing well, how long have you been up here?"
Callie chuckled a little at Arizona's quick examination before replying, "Umm... I just got up here a little bit ago. Actually, Bailey came to check up on me not long ago either."
"Ah yeah. What did she say?" Arizona wondered while looking Sofia in the eyes while rubbing her belly as Callie held her.
"Well, she told me to go home"
"To go home? As in actually home? Home, home?" Arizona quizzed her, snapping her vision from to Callie, with a slight nervousness rising in her eyes.
"Yeah, home, home. I was kind of surprised myself, but looks like I'll be going home with you tonight," Callie continued a little cheekily, "I mean if you'll have me after all this time with the bed all to yourself."
"Ohhh, I see we're in a funny mood. And that is great news, I mean I thought it would be soon but not this soon. And really bed the myself, you know I can't sleep without you, so I would be more than happy to take you home with me tonight" Arizona replied sincerely as she approached Callie to kiss her a little less innocently than the first time they saw each other that morning.
"Oh, ok then, what time do you finish?" Callie asked as Arizona pulled Sofia from her arms.
"Ah I think around 3ish. Should have a quiet day, no surgeries so far so I might just sit in your room and do paperwork," Arizona replied to Callie whilst gazing down at Sofia who was now in her own arms. "Now how are we this morning my beautiful girl? Yes, did you have a good night? Are you ready to come home with us tonight? Yes you are just adorable," Arizona chimed whilst Callie went from a look of adoration and love at the beginning to a look of horror once she realised.
"No wait, Bailey said I could go home, just me, she did not mention Sofia. Arizona I don't want to go home without her, we can't just leave her here," Callie huffed out, clearly anxious.
"Wow, settle down Callie, it's ok, she won't be here all alone, there are plenty of doctors here and you can visit her during the day," Arizona said, trying to calm a clearly stressed Callie, "It will be fine, she is fine, you are fine, and we will all be home together soon ok?"
"Yeah, I know, but"
"No buts" Arizona interrupted, "We will talk to Stark and see what we are looking at here before we start to freak out, ok?"
"Yeah ok," Callie nodded slowly as if Arizona's words were finally soaking in.
"Ok, good, now I gotta get to rounds, shall I meet you in your room in like an hour and you can help me with my paperwork?" Arizona asked hopefully.
"Yeah sure," Callie responded taking Sofia back into her own arms.
"Ok, now promise me no more freaking out for today" Arizona chimed in, raising an eyebrow at Callie.
"No more freaking out, I promise" Callie replied in a bored tone.
"Ok see you later" Arizona finished, and with a quick kiss she was heelying down to the hallway toward the nurse's station, as Callie watched on wondering how those damn heely's hadn't landed Arizona in the ER herself.
Later that day
"Stark," Arizona called approaching as Stark just exited a patients room.
"Yes," he answered, seemingly suspicious that he was about to be propositioned for something.
"I was just wondering... Callie has been given the go-ahead to head home today... So I was..."
"Wondering if you could take Sofia home" Stark cut in.
"No, no... Actually I was wondering what the time frame was looking like with her, like when we could expect to take her home, I mean I get that she is not ready yet and I am not trying to rush things, but just so I can give Callie some reassurance. You know Mum's get when they can't watch their babies all day... Little worried..." Arizona rambled, becoming more and more nervous as the conversation went on.
"Look, she can go home today as long as she passes the infant carrier test. I mean with two doctors at home, and one that specialized in paediatrics and the other that is not ready to return to work for a while yet, I think she will be fine." Stark said without much emphasis.
"Really, an infant carrier test and then she can come home. Stark thank you, thank you so much for everything" Arizona replied, her surprise and thrill evident. Before running off to tell Callie the great news she leaned in and gave Stark a big kiss on the cheek. "Just thank you, now I gotta go... You know... Mothers," she finalised before running toward the elevator and heading to Callie's room.
"So I have done my rounds, checked the board and I have no surgeries, got Stark's approval to take Sofia home tonight, picked up my paperwork, got some lunch and now I am here" Arizona said casually as she entered Callie's room, taking a seat on the left hand side of the bed. Looking up as she sat down all the paperwork, she could see Callie's face in deep concentration as she went over what Arizona just said, feeling that something was out of place.
"What did you say... In the middle there..."
"I got us lunch?" Arizona replied, knowing that that wasn't what Callie was referring to.
"No, something about Stark... And Sofia?" Callie continued, clearly confused at Arizona's relaxed state.
"Oh, I ran into Stark and he said that if Sofia passed the infant carrier test we could take her home tonight," Arizona confirmed before putting a forkful of salad into her mouth before offering Callie some.
"He said what... Take her home... with us... tonight?"
"Yeah, but gotta do the infant carrier test first, but she nail it," Arizona replied, her casual tone still evident.
"Oh. My. God. Are you serious?" Excitement evident in her response.
"I am serious," Arizona replied, raising herself from the chair and sliding next to Callie on the bed, "And I am super excited to have both of my girls coming home with me tonight, together and back where they belong." Arizona mirrored the super-magic smile that Callie had spread across her face before she leant in for a deep and lingering kiss.
Just after 3
"Okay Callie so have you packed everything of yours?" Arizona asked whilst checking off her mental list of things to get before they headed for the doors of the hospital, "Have we forgotten anything?"
"Arizona I have checked and it's not like if we forgot something it is going to be hard to get back, we work here remember" Callie said to the now freaking out Arizona.
"Ok, yeah, yeah you're right, alright... I think we're good" she continues having one more look around the room, "yeah, okay, let's head downstairs then." And with one more shared look and a smile, Arizona called the nurse to push Callie toward the elevator.
Once they were all in the car, Arizona at the wheel, she turned to Callie. "So are we ready to do this?" she asked, more for her own benefit.
"We are more than ready to do this Arizona," Callie reassured leaning over to plant a kiss on Arizona's worried cheek, "Now come on, it's just after 4 and I really want to spend a couple of hours with my girls before I am ready for bed."
The whole car ride to their apartment, given that is was only around 2 minutes, was filled with nervous chatter from Arizona. After getting in the car, it had dawned on her that today was the day that Callie would see her newly decorated apartment, and she was really wishing that she hadn't decided to spring it on her and rather given her some input into how the apartment was going to look. 'Oh no' she thought to herself as they approached closer and closer to their building.
As they approached the familiar blue door the nerves took over. Arizona managed to get her shaky hand to get the key in the door but before turning it to open the apartment she spun on her heals and began ranting: "ok so you know how I was banned from the hospital on several occasions to actually come and sleep, and how I can't actually sleep in that bed without you in it... well it gave me a lot of time to do well other things... and I mean like a lot of time... I mean do you know how much a person can get done when they're left by themselves for ten hours... I mean it is a lot of work... so yeah I am not sure if you will hate me for this... but I may... have... worked... on the... apartment... I mean I was at the hospital so much I didn't want to do more paperwork... and we can change it I mean if you don't like it but I mean..." She was cut off by Callie bringing her free hand to her cheek.
"As cute as you are when you are rambling, I would really like to go inside to what I think I understand to be my newly decorated apartment. And as long as there is only one colour on the walls and there are no rainbows, I am sure I will like it." Callie said, smiling at Arizona.
"So no rainbows at all, cause there may be one or two in the nursery" Arizona added cautiously.
"I think I can deal with it if it is in the nursery, I was more meaning in the lounge room. Now can we go inside?"
"Yeah, we can go inside, just promise you will tell me if you don't like it ok?"
"Ok" Callie finalised before Arizona pushed the door open.
Callie stood in amazement. There was not a noticeable difference in the wall colourings but Callie could see it, and she loved it. The furniture remained the same but there was a new feel to the space, something more homely, just like Arizona had wanted. After putting all the bags down, Arizona led Callie and Sofia, who was in Callie's arms, into the second bedroom which had been transformed into a nursery.
"Oh my god Arizona, you have outdone yourself, this is amazing. You are amazing, where did you learn to do all of this?" Callie exasperated, mouth agape in surprise.
"Um... I am not sure... So do you like it?" Arizona responded hopefully.
"Arizona" Callie said as if Arizona should have known better, "I love it, it is perfect, it is... Wow... It is wow."
"Ohthankgod," Arizona let out in one breath, "I was so sure once I was done that is wasn't going to be hard-core enough for you and that I had way overdone the perky."
"Oh this is not hard core at all, it screams perky more than rainbows and unicorns combined, but It. Is. Perfect. Come here" Callie called opening her free arm for Arizona to snuggle her way in to. Gladly entering Callie's arms, Arizona dropped a kiss onto Callie's cheek before dropping one on Sofia's head. "So should we put her down in her new crib and snuggle on the lounge for a bit?" Callie continued while looking with nothing but adoration at her Arizona.
"I think I have a better idea," Arizona replied, "I think I would like to take my girls to bed and cuddle them there, what do you saying to cuddling with Sofia in our own bed?"
"Yeah, but isn't it bad for her to used to sleeping with us, I mean I would love it but I really don't want our daughter to survive a car crash only to come home and be crushed by me on the first night."
Arizona giggled a little, "I really don't think you'll crush her, and it's too early for me to sleep so I will make sure that you don't crush our daughter."
"Ok then, cuddling in our bed." Callie finalised as she turned to head for the master bedroom, Arizona following behind with her arms wrapped around Callie's middle.
Laying down on the bed Callie seemed to melt down into the mattress, "Man I am so happy to be home, those hospital beds are nothing close to being any form of comfortable, and I love my bed, not to mention the cute blonde that seems to reside in it these days" Callie remarked giving Arizona a cheeky grin at the end.
"Oh a cute blonde, should I be worried about this blonde?" Arizona replied matching Callie's cheeky tone.
"Well only if that cheeky blonde doesn't hurry up and get down here to cuddle me, cause I have seriously missed cuddling with you."
"Oh ok then," Arizona replied as she snuggled as close as she could with Sofia laying sound asleep in between her and Callie. Stroking Callie's cheek slowly and gazing into her eyes was all it took for Arizona to realize that this is what she had wanted, this was it for her, this was her dream and this moment could not be taken away from her, not now, not ever.
"I love you Calliope, like really love you, like I don't think I have ever been this in love ever, or ever will be again. I just need you to know after everything, that I really do love you, and only you."
"Arizona... I know you do, and I love you too, like really love you!" And with that, Callie closed her eyes, feeling the soft but warm breath of Sofia drift up through the air and onto her face combined with the loving caresses of Arizona on her cheek, and she drifted off into a sleep that she didn't realise she needed. Arizona looked on, knowing that the deep and even breaths of Callie were the tell tale sign that she had fallen into a slumber. Arizona took the moment to appreciate her sleeping daughter and fiancé. She didn't think that she had seen a more beautiful sight. Nothing before had compared to her family, her family, her own daughter and her own soon-to-be-wife. Nope nothing compared, not even in the slightest. Arizona stayed in the same position for a couple of hours, ignoring the pain in her right arm that was positioned under her head and appreciating the fact that she had found someone, or rather Calliope, who made her realise that she did indeed want a family of her own, and looking down at Sofia, she wondered how she ever convinced herself that this was not the life for her.
Present Day
Arizona was bought back from her day dream by a stirring Callie. "Oh, morning. How long have you been staring at me?"
"Well, that depends, how long have you been day dreaming?" Callie retorted surprised it took Arizona so long to realise she was awake.
"Umm... well... I was just thinking... well reminiscing about our first night home with Sofia."
"You mean all the crying and screaming!"
"No, no... When we were laying in bed just after we came home and you both fell asleep and it was adorable, and that, I think, was the moment I realised I had everything I ever wanted." Arizona replied.
"Oh, yeah, that was nice." Callie replied, now being drawn back to that night.
"So what are we going to get up to today?" Arizona asked, trying to keep Callie in the present.
"Well I was thinking that because we only have two days here with Sofia before we jet off, maybe we could take her down to the beach and spend a bit of time in the sand and just relaxing in the sun, what do you say? Or did you have something else in mind?"
"No, the beach sounds great, and my parents want us to all go to dinner before we leave Sofia with them, so I was thinking we could do that tonight, and then maybe spend some time with them tomorrow cause I don't know when we will be able to see them again," Arizona suggested.
"Yeah sure. Your parents are so great, I can't believe they offered to take Sofia while we go away, I mean I was more than happy to take her and I am going to miss her like hell, but it is going to be nice to spend two weeks with only you and some room service," Callie said with a sly grin sneaking up onto her face.
"Yeah me too," Arizona agreed as she leant in for a kiss, "Well, should we get some breakfast while she sleeps a bit longer," she continued glancing down at a still sleeping Sofia.
"Yeah sounds great, and some coffee, I was thinking pancakes with some fresh fruit?"
"Mmm... I can taste it already." Arizona said as she clambered out of bed, knowing that this was going to be the perfect holiday. Arizona had three days in San Diego with her parents, Callie and Sofia and then off to the U.S. Virgin Islands for two weeks with her Calliope all to herself. Both herself and Callie were ridiculously surprised when Arizona's parents offered to take Sofia for the two weeks so that they could have a real honeymoon, not that they didn't want to take Sofia, they were actually ultra-excited for their first family holiday, but Arizona's parents had insisted and were also super excited to spend the time with their only grand-daughter, so Callie and Arizona simply couldn't say no. This really was going to be the best honeymoon ever; Arizona thought to herself as she pulled on a pair of pyjama pants and padded toward the kitchen, shortly followed by Callie.